Signaling arrangement



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,551,220

- F. E. SCHEFFLER SIGNALING ARRANGEMENT."

Filed March 6. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 oooooooooooooooooooooo\ M an 30 kmm umw cw 1 Aug. 25, 1925.

1,551,220 F. E. SCHEFFLER S IGNALING ARRANGEMENT Filed March 6, 1923 2SheetS-Sheet' 2 am Mr? WM A WWW)" Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFics.

FRITZ EDUARD SGHEFFLER, 0F KIEL, GERMANY.

SIGNALING ARRANGEMENT.

Application filed March 6, 1923. Serial No. 623,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnrrz EDUARD Senna Flinn, engineer, citizen of theGerman Republic, and residing at Kiel, county of Schleswig-I-Iolstein,and State of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful thematerial, and for this purpose a socalled bank is built above the shaftwhich carries the sheaves over which the hoisting rope passes. As isfurther customary the hoisting engine stands laterally of the bank sothat, owing to this necessary arrangement, it is impossible for thehoisting engineer to observe the hoisting operations themselves. Inoperating thehoisting engine he must thus rely solely upon signals whichare given to him from the different levels. In the course of develepmentof the mining art, it has become customary to give mining signals insuch away that the hoisting engineer receives his orders only from theman on the bank who surveysthe hoisting operations and is called thebanks man, whereas the signals from the dif ferent levels are only sentto the banks man, who then transmitsthe signal to the hoistingengineer.The signals usually consist of one or several electrically transmittedbell signals forming a'code which then is transmitted through the banksman to the engineer.

. It has recently been found in-minesthat it is desirable to record notonly the signals sent from the levels or the banks man to the hoistingengine driver and relating to the speed curve of the hoisting rope, butalso to provide for an accurate registration of the various othersignals. This is important for investigations of accidents that occurduring-hoisting operations. It is a matter of course that theserecording and For v checking operations should be made as independentas'possibleof all other ordinary operations and that the checkingapparatus should be such as to be immune from unauthorized acts;

The object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this kind andthis is accomplished by arrang ng each signal sent from a level and thecorresponding signal sent from the bank to be recorded opposite to eachother on a recording tape located at some remote point. In addition tothe level and bank signals the time at which each signal is given isalso automatically printed on the tape.

I am aware a recording tape are already known. But these apparatus areonly arranged to make the signal fromthe level to the engine housevisible, while the object of the present invention is to provide achecking apparatus adapted to be used as an auxiliary to the ordinaryapparatus for audible and visible signals. If desired a plurality ofsuch checking apparatus could be employed. My apparatus also differs inthat the known recording tapes do not have the level from which thesignal is given marked upon them, nor does any marking of the time atwhich that signaling apparatus with the signal is given take place, andabove all .it is to be noted that with the known recording devices it isexceedingly difiicult to distinguish between the various signals.Another point of distinction. is that the! known recording tapes arearranged to have the signals recorded in the form of perforations inaccordance with the special purposes that these apparatus are designedto fulfill. I i y y In distinction herefrom in the apparatus accordingto the invention the signals are printed on the tape. The electricalsignaling impulses operate electromagnets whose armatures are arrangedto act as printing levers which, with the aid of an inking ribbon,produce strokes or dashes on the. tape in groups that correspond to thevarious signals. The feed motion of the recording tape may be producedautomatic-ally through the signaling impulses. electromagnets areprovided for printingon the tape the number of the level from which thesignal is given. Finally a system of type-wheels associated with aclockwork is provided and an electromagnet strikes the inking ribbonagainst a typewheel at the moment any signal is given so as to impressupon the tape the time of the day and, if desired, also the date.

The invention is shown in the drawing in which-- Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of the novel device.

Fig. 2 is a strip or tape showing records which result from theoperation of the device and Fig. 3 is a diagram of circuits thatillnstrate the switching operations of the device.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, 2 is a recording tape withperforations near its edge 1 with which a feed roll 53 engages for thepurpose of unwinding the tape from a reel 4L and onto a reel 5. In orderto keep the tape taut the reel 5 is rotated by the shaft of the roll 3by means of an elastic cord 6 which is adapted to slip on the drivingpulley of the reel 5. Rotary motion is imparted to the roll 3 in themanner described hereinafter in detail in connection with Fig. Aftereach signaling impulse the tape 2 is stepped forward by means of anelectromagnet P, (Fig. 3) and the extent to which it is fed forwardreaches a certain maximum when the duration between two signalingimpulses exceeds a certain limit. The purpose of this arrangement is toenable corresponding code signs to be obtained independently of thedifferences of time in the giving of the signals.

Arranged above the tape 2 on a common base plate 7 are twoelectromagnets 8 and 9 whose armatnres are shaped in the form of twoprinting levers 10 and 11 each having a short arm acted upon by springs12 and 13 respectively, and whose long arms carry types at their freeends which are adapted to print a stroke at their respective edges ofthe tape 2 whenever they are attracted by the magnets 8 and 9respectively. The strokes thus printed extend transversely to the lengthof the tape.

The printing levers 10 and 11 cooperate with a coloring or inking ribbon1 1 which travels across the tape 2 over two rollers 15, 16, this motionbeing imparted to the ribbon 14 in any suitable manner.

Arranged in front of the lever 11 above the inking ribbon 14 are thefree ends of eight further two-armed armature lev-rs 17* whosecorresponding electromagnets 18" are arranged upon a curved base plate19. The levers 17 are normally raised from the inking ribbon 1 1 bymeans of springs at tached to the base plate 19. The electromagnets 18correspond to the various levelsin the shaft of the mine and the ends ofthe levers above the ribbon 14L carry types which print the Figures 1-8which identify the various levels.

Also arranged above the recording tape 2 is an electromagnet 21 whosearmature 22 is combined with a two-armed lever that carries a striker orprinting block 23 at its free end. hen the electromagnet is energizedthe blocl is caused to strike the inking ribbon 1 1 and to thus press itdown sharply against the recording tape 2 and a typewheel system 24; 25,26 that is kept moving by means of a transmission shaft 27 driven byclockwork 2. This type-wheel system 2 1:, 25, 26 impresses the day, hourand min ute on the recording tape 2 when the electromagnet 21 isenergized.

The section of tape shown in Fi has a train of signals recorded upon it.On the upper half of the tape there is a. numeral next to each signal,these numbered signals being such as are given from the levels, whilethe unnumbered signals on the lower half of the tape are the ones thatare given by the banksman. All of the recorded signals shown were givenon a Tuesday between 7* and and corresponding marks are printed at themiddle of the tape.

In Figure 3 the invention is shown in connection with a commonly usedsignaling method for mine hoists. In order to simplify the drawing onlytwo levels are assumed from which signals are sent and received. Therecording device may be located at any suitable place, for instance inthe office ot the mine superintendent. The bank is denoted with T, andthe bank key by which. signals are transmit-ted to the hoisting engineeris denoted with c. The keys at the different levels are indicated withS0 and Sb respectively. By the latter two signal devices the signals aretransmitted to the bank. According to the present invention it isintended to record on the tape the following three occin'rences:

(1) The origin of the signals.

(2) The character of the signal itself.

(3) The time of the signal reception.

As a. fourth operation it is necessary to advance the recording tapeafter each signal impulse.

The hoisting operation occurs in the manner that for instance forhoisting from a level to the bank the signal is given from. the level tothe bank, thence it is forwarded to the engine room. For clearness sakethe aural alarm signal apparatus which is provided for the transmittionof the signals has been omitted in the drawings.

For explaining the operation of the arrangement shown in the drawings asignaling operation is assumed and functions are described which occurin the circuit arrangement if a signal is given which consists forinstance of two current impulses.

First of all the signal. which for instance may be given from the lowerlevel, is given bytwice pulling the level key S7). Thereby llU means ofa clockwork.

the contact a whichis located near the pivotal point of the key closes acircuit which runs over the supply line designated with by way ofcontact a. and relay K to the minus side of the supply system. Thusrelay K closes the switch cl-whereby the relays 9, 9 and Rs areconnected in series to the supply line by way of a lever L which bears asuitable contact as shown. Thus by means of the energized relay 9 asingle charactor, for instance a dot or dash, is imprinted on therecording paper strip 2 by means of the colored ribbon 14c. WVhen thisoccurs the relay, 9 simultaneously closes a contact provided on itsarmature and thereby a current impulse is sent over the relay coil P.This latter relay attracts an armature which engages, by means of apawl, a ratchet wheel connected with the feeding device for the paperstrip, the pawl being arranged in such manner that when the armature ofrelay P moves, the pawl is withdrawn the distance of one tooth of theratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel is operated only after the armaturehas been released by relay P.

By means of relay 9 contact, provided at its armature, isclosed andthereby relay 21 is thrown into circuit. The end of the armature .ofthis latter relay carries a hammer which throws the paper strip on whicha colored ribbon-is provided against a time stamp which is permanentlyoperated by Thus this relay imprints the time of the signal receipt.However,-relay 9" is energized only for a moment, because its circuit isclosed over con tact f. This contact f is interrupted by the slightlyretarded relay Rs immediately after relay 9 has responded.Simultaneously relay Rs closes the two contacts 72. and g. Now a circuitis established for the exciter current for relay Rs from the minus sideof the supply line over contact h, relay Rs contact at lever L to theplus side. By means of contact g relay 9 is connected to the plus sideof the system by way of the contact at lever L.

The above described operations occur within only a fraction of a second.Thus shortly after contact a at the level key Sb is closed the conditionof the entire system would be as follows Relay K maintains contact dclosed. By this contact relay coil 9 is connected to the supply line andthis coil maintains the conto the supply line by. way of the contact onlever L. R-elav 9.is disconnected. For a moment the printer of relay 9rests, on the paper strip. The armature of relay 21 has already returnedinto its rest position after it has imprinted the time of the signal.

. r The occurrences which arebrought aboutby closing contact Z) at thelevel key Sb, are independent of the just described occurrences andwill, therefore, be discussed later.

contact (5 so that thereby the energizing circuit for relay 9 isinterrupted. Thus the armature of relay 9 returns into its normal.

open position and thereby opens the'contact connected with. itsarmature, this in turn causes deenergization of relay P whose armaturethen also returns into its open position. This motion of the armature ofrelay P causes the feeding wheel for the paper strip to make one feedingstroke by means of the pawl connected with the armature and thus thepaper strip is fed forward. Only relay Rs does not return into itsresting position.

hus so far records have been made on the paper strip in the form of asignal dash and the time of receipt of the signal. Now if the signal manby pulling the level key S?) with a short pull the second time, contacta again closes the energizing circuit for relay K. This again closescontact (Z, relay 9 is thus again energized and its armature imprints asecond signal dash on the paper strip. Simultaneously the contactonrelay 9 is again. closed and thus relay P is energized. This latterrelay attracts its'armature, the feeding pawl connected with thatarmature passes the distance of one tooth over the ratchet wheel (i. e.it makes its idle stroke) so that when the armature of relay P returnsinto the off position the ratchet wheel is fed forward another tooth andthe paper strip is fed forward accordingly. Upon release of the levelkey S?) its contact a is again opened and thereby-relay K deenergized.Thereby its contact is opened which in turn causes deenergization ofrelay 9 which opens the contact controlled by it and thereby causes thedeenergization of relay P. Thus the armature of the latter in returninginto its off position as just described performs the feeding stroke forthe Japer feed. -For each subsequent signal of the same characterrepeated the same functions just described are repeated. It will benoted that relay 21 thus comes into action only at the first of a numberof similar signal impulses, so that the time of the receipt of thesignal is imprinted only once for a signal of the same character. On theother hand relays 9 and P operate for each re peated signal impulse ofthe same character, so that each individual signal impulse is recordedand every time the paper strip fed forward one step.

The simultaneous closing of contact I) of level key S? when the latteris operated as described before, produces effects entirely independentfrom. the occurrences just described. hen level key S?) is pulled thelirst time, a circuit is closed by way of contact 7) which leads fromthe plus pole of the supply line by way of relay 18" to the minus pole.The armature of relay 18" then imprints the designation of the level,for instance in this case Sb, on the paper strip. The armature of relay18 has a yielding end, and ordinarily with relay 18 energzied it willnot touch the paper strip with its end which carries the type. Theimprint by this type is only made by the sudden energization of relay 18which impels the armature towards the paper strip so that the momentumgained by its yielding end carries the type to the paper strip andproduces the imprint, whereupon the type immediately recedes from thepaper and remains a slight distance away from it though the relay mayremain energized. The closing of contact 7) further energizes the relayRb. This relay is slightly retarded in its action and, right after relay18 has produced the level imprint, on the paper, it closes contact 0.lVhcn this happens relays R7) and 18 are directly connected to thesupply line by way of contact 0. In their energizing circuit now onlythe contact at lever L is located. Therefore when contact 6 is openedthe energization of relays Rb and 18 is not effected. Likewise theyremain unaffected in this energized condition if at every repeatedsignal from the same level contact Z) is repeatedly closed and opened.

By the operations thus far described relay 9 has imprinted the signalsgiven, relay 18" has imprinted on the strip the level designation andrelay 21 has imprinted the time of the first signal.

Now the signal given from the level to the bank is forwarded by thebanks-man to the hoisting engineer by means of the bank key H. lVhenthis key is operated contact 6 is closed. The closing of this contactthe first time when the first signal from the level arrives, has theeffect that simultaneously relays 8, 8 and Rh are connected to thesupply line. Relay R71. the same as relay Rs operates with slightlyretarded action. Consequently relay 8 responds first and therebyimprints a signal character for instance a dash on the paper strip. Inaddition to this it also closes the contact connect-- ed to itsarn'iature and thereby causes energization of relay P. The latterattracts this arn'iature and thus sets the neXt feeding stroke for thepaper strip 2 in the manner described hereinbefore. Relay 8 is notretarded and responds immediately, closing the contact connected withits armature so that over this contact a current impulse flows from theplus side of the supply line by Way of the contact of lever L and relay21. Thus relay 21- is enabled to print the time of arrival of the firstsignal from the bank upon the paper strip. N ow the retarded relay R/Lresponds and opens contact 6 and thus deenergizes relay 8. This causesthe opening of the contact controlled by the armature of relay 8 so thatthe energizing circuit for relay 21 is interrupted. hen relay Rhresponds contacts K and Z are closed. By way of contact Z relay Rh isnow connected directly to the supply line so that in its circuit onlythe contact controlled by lever L is located. By way of contact oneterminal of relay 8 is directly connected to the minus side of thesupply line whereas the other terminal of this relay is connected to theplus side of the line by way of contact 0 of the bank key H. As soon asthe contact 0 is opened by releasing the key, relay 8 becomesdeenergized. Its armature moves away from the paper strip and opens atthe same time the contact controlled by the relay armature. By thiscontact, as was stated before. relay P was connected to the supply line.Thus by opening this contact this relay becomes deenergized so that nowits released armature performs the paper feeding step in a mannerdescribed hereinbefore. Relay R71. remains energized irrespective of anyrepetition of signals through repeated depression of bank key H. If thekey H is operated the second time for giving the second signal of thesame character and if thereby contact 0 is closed the second time, relay8 is energized and by means of this relay in the manner described beforethe second signal of the same character is imprinted on the paper. Atthe same time the energized relay by means of its armature closes itsarmature contact and thereby again energizes the feeding relay P which,was also described hereinbefore, sets the feeding mechanism for the nextfeeding step. When bank key H is now released relays 8 and P are againdeenergized so that the paper is again fed forward another step. Thisoccurrence is repeated as often as the signal from the bank is repeated.

\Vhen the transmission of signals is over the whole arrangement is inthe following condition: Relay R79 is energized and contact c is closed.Likewise relays 18" R9 and Rh are energized.

Now the signal given from the bank to the engineer must be executed bycorrespondingly operating the hoisting machine. Let us assume for thepresent example that lever L is the brake lever of the hoisting machine.Thus in order to set the hoisting machinery in motion the engineer mustrelease lever L and he thereby opens the con tact at the lower end ofthe lever. As previously described this contact controls all relaysstill energized in this condition of the system. hen lever L is releasedfirst relay Rb is tie-energized, and returns into its normal position inwhich contact 0 is open. At the same time relay 18 is deenergized andreturns to its normal position, and also the energizing circuit forrelays Rs and Rh is opened so that also these relays return to theirnormal position. This returns the whole system into the condition inwhich it is ready to receive an entirely new signal when the engineerhas again set the brake lever into the position shown after the hoistingoperation is complete.

I claim:

1. In a mine signaling system between the levels, the bank and theengine room, the combination with a signal transmitter at each level, asignal receiver at the bank electrically connected with each of saidlevel transmitters, a signal transmitter at the bank and a receiver atthe hoisting engine electrically connected therewith, of a single deviceincluding a recording tape for recording thereon in a single column thesignals received from all of the difi'erent levels, means for recordingin said column the identity of the signaling level, means for recordingon said tape the signal transmitted from the bank to the hoisting engineand means for recording on the tape the time of said signalstransmitted.

2. In a mine signaling system between the levels, the bank and theengine room, the combination with a signal transmitter at each level, asignal receiver at the bank electrically connected with each of saidlevel transmitters, a signal transmitter at the bank and a receiver atthe hoisting engine electrically connected therewith, of a single deviceincluding a recording tape for recording thereon in a single column thesignals received from all of the difi'erent levels,

'means for recording in said column the identity of the signaling level,means for recording on said tape the signal transmitted from the bank tothe hoisting engine, means 101 recording on the tape the time of saidsignals transmitted, and means for causing the identification means andthe time recording means to respond only onceifor each signalirrespective of the number of impulses of which such signal may becomposed.

In a mine signaling system between the levels, the bank and the engineroom, the combination with a signal transmitter at each level, a signalreceiver at the bank electrically connected with each of said leveltransmitters, a signal transmitter at the bank and a receiver at thehoisting engine electrically connected therewith, of a single deviceincluding a recording tape for recording thereon in a single column thesignals received from all of the different levels, means for recordingin said column the identity of the signaling level, means for recordingon said tape the signal transmitted from the bank to the. hoistingengine, means for recording on the tape the time of said signalstransmitted, and a control relay suitably connected in circuit to beenergized when a signal impulse is received and adapted to immediatelythereby render the level identification means unresponsive to furtherimpulses of which a level signal identified may be composed, saidcontrol relay having suitable contact devices to also close a circuit,including its own circuit and the hoisting engine control, to permitdeenergi-zation of the control relay only when the engine control hasbeen operated in response to the signals originally given from thelevel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRITZ EDUARD SGHEFFLER.

